Airflow and Coffee

E-book

Airflow & Coffee is a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood—and frequently misrepresented—elements of coffee roasting: airflow. For years, the prevailing wisdom in specialty coffee has warned that “too much airflow will dry out the coffee,” often without clear definitions, evidence, or nuance. In this booklet, Rob Hoos challenges that institutional lore through carefully designed experiments and real-world data from his dark roast research project.

What starts as a myth-busting investigation evolves into a broader exploration of how airflow, moisture content, and inlet air temperature interact to influence flavor, texture, and roast development. Along the way, Rob shares practical methodologies for measuring weight loss during the roast, reflects on previous assumptions (including his own), and connects this work to tipping defects, Maillard reaction pathways, and the formation of flavor.

The findings are both surprising and significant: lower airflow can, in some cases, cause coffee to dry out faster—contradicting long-held beliefs. Rather than replacing one dogma with another, this booklet invites roasters to approach airflow with curiosity, precision, and context.

Whether you’re roasting light or dark, manual or automated, Airflow & Coffee offers new insights and a framework for thinking differently about one of roasting’s least understood variables. It’s a must-read for anyone serious about pushing their craft forward.